Media Endorsements of Presidential Candidates

[Tino]

I got as far as this point in the article:

to business owners: "You didn't build that."

You do realize this is a lie, right?

I know the theme this month is to insist that everyone who is, or is for, Republicans is lying but you're lying yourself when you say "this is a lie."

First, the quote from the article:

"This summer, the president famously said "the private sector is doing fine," and to business owners: "You didn't build that.""

Now the relevant part of the President's speech:

"Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you've got a business – you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen. "

The President did say those words, and was addressing small business owners, so this quote isn't a lie. Your statement is. So, you do realize you lied, right?

Now as to your argument about what the President meant by it - yes we've all heard the explanation that the "it" is the government infrastructure, and not the business. You believe that explanation. I don't believe it. I think Obama went off script and was being candid about his view. If not, why the need to say "If you've got a business". The statement means the same if you don't have a business - the government still built the infrastructure. So why start it with "If you've got a business..."

But going further, his whole point is stupid. Government doesn't build stuff. Our taxes pay for it, generated by businesses, and private sector companies build it. And to the extent that Government has a role, it's generally state and local government, not Federal. Much of the infrastructure that my small business relies on - electricity, telephones, data networks - were built by commercial businesses. The roads and bridges were built by my county government. Yes, there are some federal projects - the federal highway system comes to mind - but again, all paid for by revenues originating in the private sector.